Football

For the third time in the last 14 months, Ezekiel Elliott is being sued over an alleged dog biting incident ... and this time, the accuser is looking for more than $1 MILLION in damages.

In the new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, Jennifer Gampper claims she's one of Elliott's neighbors and says on May 20, 2021, she was attacked by one of his dogs near his Frisco, Texas-area home.

Gampper claims that while the company Perfect Synthetic Grass (which she's also suing) was performing landscaping work at the residence ... Elliott's pooch escaped the house and attacked her.

In the suit, Gampper says she suffered severe and permanent injuries ... but doesn't get more specific.

Gampper is asking for monetary relief of over $1,000,000.

As for Elliott, his attorney, Frank Salzano tells us he's concerned about Gampper, but that doesn't mean he's at fault.

"Mr. Elliott and his representatives are aware of the lawsuit filed on July 30th, which stems from a previously reported incident from May 21st of this year.  As Mr. Elliott expressed at that time, he was - and remains concerned - for the party involved."

"However, as in most disputes, there are extenuating circumstances to this matter which will impact the legal proceedings which we are not at liberty to disclose.  As such, we have no further comment at this time."

You'll recall, cops actually investigated the incident ... and said two people were injured in the alleged attack, listing Gampper as one of the "victims" in a report.

Cops added that three of the running back's dogs escaped that day ... and said they ultimately ended up issuing Elliott 3 citations.

As for the dog that allegedly bit Gampper -- Zeke's Rottweiler, Ace -- a court official tells us it had a "dangerous dog hearing" after the incident, and was ultimately required to be removed from the city.

Of course, this is far from the first time Ace and the rest of Elliott's dogs have been accused of being violent.

Remember, back in June 2020, a pool cleaner alleged in a lawsuit that Ace bit her arm and dragged her ... before the 26-year-old's two bulldogs began attacking her legs.

Court records show that case has since been closed. We reached out to the accuser's attorney in that case for further details, but so far, no word back yet.

Elliott was also sued earlier this summer, in June, when a pet resort employee claimed Ace viciously bit him too on March 25, 2021. That case is still playing out in the court system.

Kirk Cousins is getting cut -- not by the Minnesota Vikings, but his hometown hospital ... and it's all thanks to his stance against taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

Cousins is one of the most famous celebs out of Holland, Michigan ... becoming a high school superstar before taking his talents to Michigan State.

The 32-year-old signal-caller has served as a spokesperson for the Holland Hospital in the past ... but a spokesperson says they will be distancing themselves from Cousins for the time being.

"While we acknowledge that each person is entitled to their own viewpoints, those who speak on our behalf must support the messages that align with the hospital’s position on matters of vital importance to individual and community health," the statement said.

Remember, Cousins said he'll do everything in his power to stay healthy and safe during the NFL season ... that is, except getting the vaccination.

As a hospital, they saw no choice but to move on from Cousins, who is actively and openly refuting recommendations from leading medical experts and the CDC.

Holland Hospital was nice during the breakup, however, ... adding, "We are proud of our association with Kirk. He embodies many values we respect and share as a part of our work culture."

Worth noting -- while the NFL is implementing rules that push their players towards the vaccine, Cousin’s Vikings have among the lowest vaccination rate of any team in the league.

The New England Patriots are helping 30,000 kids of military families prepare for the next school year ... with the team doing a huge giveaway with backpacks stuffed with supplies!!

Of course, coach Bill Belichick would be the first to admit preparation is a key element of winning ... so naturally, the team is making sure kids throughout the area will have all the tools to succeed in the classroom this fall.

Josh Kraft, the president of Kraft Family Philanthropies is pumped to give back to his community.

"With the support of our fans, 30,000 students will be well-equipped for the upcoming school year," he said.

The founder of the Massachusetts Military Support Fund, Don Cox, explained the importance to help children in the area ... especially those in military fams.

"Military children often face moving multiple times and changing schools or having a parent deploy. We are proud to partner with the Patriots, Revolution, Operation Homefront and Dollar Tree Stores to provide military children with the basic tools needed to participate in school."

"It is just one small way to show them they are supported by the community."

Peyton Manning will have his longtime rival present when he gets his gold jacket this weekend -- 'cause none other than Tom Brady is reportedly slated to attend his Hall of Fame ceremony!!!

Of course, the Manning vs. Brady matchup is as epic as it gets ... with the guys dominating the NFL from 2001 to 2015.

While Peyton and TB12 went at it on the field -- Brady came out on top with an 11-6 overall record, but Manning got three of his wins in AFC title games -- the superstars remained tight over the years.

Now, as Manning is set to get enshrined in Canton on Sunday, his pal, Brady, will be present for his buddy's big moment, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians told the Tampa Bay Times.

Remember, Arians was Manning's QB coach with the Indianapolis Colts way back in the day ... before teaming up with Brady in Tampa.

There's a bunch of other guys getting in the Hall this weekend as well -- from Calvin Johnson to John Lynch to Charles Woodson and more ... so it's really gonna be a night filled with legends.

The Washington Football Team is taking yet another step toward distancing itself from its controversial past ... now banning fans from wearing Native American-inspired headdresses and face paint at its stadium.

The team made the announcement in an email to WFT fans on Wednesday ... explaining the once-popular fan attire will now no longer be accepted at home games.

"We are excited to welcome everyone back wearing their Burgundy & Gold," team officials said in the statement.

"However, Native American inspired ceremonial headdresses or face paint may no longer be worn into the stadium."

The ban should come as a surprise to absolutely nobody ... especially given just last month, the team announced its future nickname would not be the "Warriors" or anything else that could be perceived to be associated with Native American imagery.

"We will choose an identity that unequivocally departs from any use of or approximate linkage to Native American imagery," WFT President Jason Wright said in a July statement.

"As I have said many times before, our new identity should unite us. It should bring us together the way this team comes together on the football field and the way we have seen our Fans come together and proudly support our Team and our DMV community."

No hints have been given yet as to other possible nicknames, though an announcement on a new, permanent name change is expected to come before the 2022 season.

Huge WIN for Russell Wilson and Ciara -- the couple's baby son, Win, just took his very first steps ... and it went down at Seahawks practice!!

The NFL superstar quarterback shared news of the milestone on Wednesday ... posting pics of the 1-year-old walking from daddy to mommy with a huge grin on his face.

"Win’s first steps!" Wilson tweeted. "Witnessing Win walk at practice it hit me that God orders our steps."

"I realize I’m just a Rookie in the Game of Life. Jesus is the QB. Let Go & Let God!"

He added ... "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."

Ciara had been documenting Win's progress recently -- just last week, she posted video on his 1st birthday ... saying they were still waiting on him to walk.

Now, it's off to the races for the little dude ... and it's just a matter of time 'til the kid starts running around and throwing the ball with dad.

Nice to see Russell bringing the fam to camp -- the 'hawks are currently 5 days into training -- and we'll see if Win's success brings wins for Seattle this upcoming season.

Micah Parsons is quickly checkin' things off his bucket list in 2021 ... first, he got drafted by the Dallas Cowboys -- and now, he's buying his mom a brand new home!!!

The rookie linebacker -- a first-round selection in April's NFL draft -- revealed the huge estate he bought for his mother, Sherese, on Tuesday ... and it looks GORGEOUS!!

Unclear where the property is located -- we're working on it -- but the home is LARGE ... featuring two stories and a ton of big windows.

"One goal after another!!" the 22-year-old said after making the purchase. "Going to be a great year!"

The gesture was so sweet ... Parsons' alma mater, Penn State, gave him an awesome shoutout on Instagram.

"Picture this: You’re 22 years old. You’re a Penn State grad. You were just selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. You finally get the chance to buy your mom a house like you’ve always dreamed to do. Life is good," the school said.

"Proud of you, @_MicahParsons11 👏"

Of course, this was all a big goal of Micah's ... you'll recall, back in the spring, he told BroBible he wanted to buy his mom a new home badly with his first NFL paychecks.

"I moved a lot when I was younger," Parsons said, "and if I could put me and my mother into our own home and have something to call ours, it would be amazing."

Vikings corner Jeff Gladney -- a star rookie for Minnesota in 2020 -- has just been indicted on a felony domestic violence charge ... and his football future is now very much up in the air.

Gladney was accused of violently beating his girlfriend in the Dallas area back in April ... after cops say the couple got into an argument over the contents of the woman's cell phone.

According to court docs, Gladney's accuser told officials the football player snapped after he found something on her phone ... hitting her, choking her, and dragging her by her hair across the ground.

Gladney was eventually arrested and posed for a mug shot.

It took several months, though, for a grand jury to hear the case ... but on Tuesday, it was revealed they indicted Gladney on a felony charge of third-degree family violence assault.

It's a VERY serious matter for the NFL player -- who's been away from the Vikings since his arrest -- because if convicted, Gladney faces up to 10 years behind bars.

With the case now moving forward -- potentially even resulting in a trial -- Gladney could now be asked to stay away from the Vikings indefinitely ... or even find himself cut from the roster.

Gladney is also facing a civil lawsuit from his accuser, who filed docs in court last month seeking $1 million in damages.

In her suit, the woman says after Gladney was violent with her, he "attempted to bribe, threaten, blackmail, and manipulate" her to keep quiet about it all.

Gladney has not publicly commented on the allegations.

The former TCU star -- a Vikings first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft -- started 15 games for Minnesota last season, recording 81 total tackles and 3 pass breakups.

Joe Judge went absolutely ballistic on his Giants players after they were involved in an all-out brawl Tuesday ... punishing them with cuss words, sprints and push-ups!!

It all went down during the Giants' first day of full pads ... after running back Corey Clement got rocked by Jabrill Peppers at the end of a play.

Giants tight end Evan Engram apparently felt it was a somewhat dirty hit, so he jumped in to defend Clement. That's when cornerback Logan Ryan jumped in to defend Peppers, and then all hell broke loose.

Reporters on the scene say EVERYONE got involved in the melee ... with even quarterback Daniel Jones somehow ending up at the bottom of the dogpile!!

Of course, that set Judge off ... with multiple reporters saying the dude completely lost his mind on his players.

Judge made the team run full, 100-yard wind sprints over and over and over again ... and then forced them to do push-ups.

It was so intense, Giants reporter Pat Leonard said it "would not surprise me if someone starts puking here."

Judge eventually called the team up to berate them some more over the fracas ... before ending the workout.

Afterward, the Giants insisted it was all nothing more than just a heated practice ... with Jones (who wasn't injured in the brawl) explaining, "Guys certainly got the message today."

Scary moment at Carolina Panthers practice on Tuesday -- wide receiver Keith Kirkwood took a powerful blow to the head ... and was taken away in an ambulance.

The 27-year-old pro was going across the middle of the field attempting to catch a pass that was thrown high ... when defensive back JT Ibe launched himself into Kirkwood's head area.

Kirkwood immediately went to the ground ... with coaches and players rushing to his side.

Trainers put Kirkwood on a backboard to immobilize him as he was carted off the field and taken away in an ambulance ... but there's good news -- head coach Matt Rhule says the player has movement in his arms and legs and has no pain in his neck.

It appeared coaches were immediately pissed off with Ibe's hit ... and Rhule ejected him from practice.

Kirkwood was an undrafted free agent out of Temple in 2018 ... and signed with the New Orleans Saints before joining the Panthers in 2020.

He has more than 200 yards and 2 touchdowns in his career.

Get well soon, Keith!!

USC WR Bru McCoy -- who was expected to have a breakout season with the Trojans -- was arrested last week in L.A. for felony domestic violence ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

And to make matters worse for the 21-year-old, McCoy has also been suspended from the football team.

Here's the deal ... a spokesperson for LAPD tells us McCoy was arrested July 24 for "intimate partner violence with injury" -- a felony.

We're told the alleged incident which led to Bru's arrest went down near the USC campus around 5:30 PM.

The charge is described in California Penal Code as ... "Any person who willfully inflicts corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition upon a victim described in subdivision (b) is guilty of a felony."

This afternoon the Trojans announced they were suspending McCoy, writing ... "USC does not condone violence of any kind. We are aware of the situation, and USC’s Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX is reviewing it," according to Keely Eure.

USC added ... “The student-athlete has been temporarily removed from team activities.”

McCoy -- who was the MaxPreps Player of the Year while starring at Mater Dei -- caught 21 balls for 236 yards during the 2020 season. However, Bru was expected to be a key member of the offense ... as one of starting quarterback Kedon Slovis' favorite targets.

McCoy's bail was set at $50k ... which he posted hours after being arrested.

Bru is scheduled to appear in court on November 5 ... 2 months after the Trojans season kicks off.

Lamar Jackson is about to be immortalized in Louisville ... the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner is getting a statue in his honor at Cardinal Stadium!!

Of course, the Baltimore Ravens MVP only left the school 4 years ago ... but the Cards wanted to waste NO time getting the ball rolling on the major tribute .... with Athletic Director Vince Tyra making the announcement during "The Deener Show" on Monday.

Tyra didn't expand on any of the details like location, timeframe or how big the statue will be ... but knowing Jackson's impact on the school, we can only expect it to be nothing short of incredible.

From 2015-17 with the Cardinals, Jackson had a total of 9,043 passing yards, 4,132 rushing yards and 119 overall touchdowns!

LJ also broke records ... having the most rushing yard and rushing touchdowns for the Cardinals football program.

On top of that, he's the youngest player -- and first Cardinals player -- to ever win the Heisman ... and first to make the All-American team for Louisville.

Now, the 24-year-old is entering his 4th season with the Ravens and has made the playoffs ever season -- but eventually hopes to win the Super Bowl.

Clemson football player Fred Davis II was arrested Sunday after cops say he drove 60 MPH over the speed limit and violently crashed into a mail carrier.

Officials say the incident all went down on July 21 in Clemson, SC ... claiming Davis II was going 115 MPH in a 55 MPH zone before he slammed his 2021 Dodge Charger into the rear of a U.S. Mail Carrier truck.

According to officials, the driver of the truck was severely injured in the accident ... and "will require several months or longer for recovery."

The 19-year-old -- who was reportedly somehow not injured in the crash -- was charged with reckless driving and turned himself in to authorities on Sunday.

He was booked into the Clemson City Jail and released after a bond hearing.

A Clemson football spokesperson said in a statement over the weekend the cornerback will remain on the team despite the arrest but "will be subject to internal discipline."

"Grounds for internal discipline for misdemeanor charges like this are covered under the terms of the Clemson Student-Athlete Handbook, which says that the head coach can recommend a course of action, and upon concurrence of the designated CUAD administrator, administer sanctions," the spokesperson added.

Davis was one of the best high school football recruits in the country in the 2020 class ... and played in 11 games for the Tigers as a true freshman last season.

Tom Brady was so ticked off over some poor plays at Bucs practice on Sunday ... he threw a major temper tantrum, cussing, slamming his helmet and even punting a football.

Reporters on the scene in Tampa say it all went down during 11-on-11 drills ... with the G.O.A.T. going off after he took a would-be sack.

Tom grabbed the ball and booted it in frustration ... sending the pigskin over 40 yards.

On the next series, Tom was sacked again and threw a few incompletions ... leading to an even bigger meltdown.

The 43-year-old QB -- who turns 44 on Tuesday -- slammed his helmet into the ground ... and according to the Tampa Bay Times, he dropped an F-bomb on his teammates.

"Gotta make a f***ing play when you’re tired fellas," Brady said, according to Rick Stroud.

Don't worry ... this apparently ain't sort of beginning of a decline for Tom -- by all accounts, he's had an awesome start to training camp, and even his head coach, Bruce Arians, was cool with TB12's attitude during practice.

"Guys have got to make plays," Arians told reporters. "You’re in a critical situation, you can’t fall down. He gives you a chance to win the game. You’ve got to go down and win the game. I don’t care how tired you are."

Cowboys fans, no need to panic ... Jerry Jones says Dak Prescott is "doing fine" -- and could play in a game right now, if it was necessary.

TMZ Sports talked to the Cowboys owner outside of Craigs in West Hollywood (Dallas holds training camp at nearby Oxnard, CA) ... and we asked Jones about his injured quarterback.

"He's doing fine."

Prescott -- who signed a 4-year, $160 million contract extension this off-season -- strained a muscle in his throwing shoulder last week ... forcing him to miss practice.

Of course, Prescott sustained a gruesome, season-ending compound fracture and dislocated ankle injury last year ... so Cowboys fans are justifiably uptight about their signal-callers health.

But, Jerry says if the Cowboys had a game Sunday, Dak could be under center.

"If we were playing a game [today], we could" ... Jones says when discussing Prescott's status.

We also asked Jerry about the Cowboy's COVID-19 vaccination status.

Remember, if 90% of players on a team get the vax, pandemic restrictions are eased -- so hitting that figure is a pretty big deal.

"We're at 90% [vaccination] and going up."

Dak ✅, Vax ✅

Next time you see Odell Beckham, ask him to smile ... and you'll witness a $1.8 million dollar grin!!!

Sources tell TMZ Sports ... the Cleveland Browns star pretty much has a mansion in his mouth now ... after hitting up celeb dentist Dr. Thomas Connelly to get some natural porcelain veneers done.

But, the 28-year-old didn't ask for your regular pearly whites ... he wanted his on a different level -- framed with a load of diamonds ... and Connelly delivered!

OBJ's new teeth look AMAZING ... with a iced-out cross on his fang and the back of his teeth -- on both sides -- infused with gems.

We're told Connelly -- who's made icy teeth for Post Malone and Chris Brown -- did a 28 unit full mouth reconstruction ... and it carries 13 carat diamonds!!!

The 3-time Pro Bowler dropped $1.8 MILLION on his new teeth ... but it won't hurt his pockets -- he's made over $60M in his NFL career so far.

It'll be nice to see the guy get back on the field after going down with a season-ending injury in November 2020 ... but wear a pair of shades if you stare at his smile ... just in case.